On the Cutting Edge of Biotechnologies

Health is the core sector of biotechnology in Québec, with 67 firms employing 2,300 people. About 40 of them focus their activities on therapeutic research and a number of them have products reaching clinical development phases.

Montréal, a Growing Hub

Montréal is the hub for genomics in Canada. The list of world-class research centres based in Montréal includes:

• The McGill University and Genome Québec Innovation Centre project, composed of five inter-related technological platforms offering a wide range of services in genotyping, DNA microchips, pharmacogenomics, and sequencing;
• The Biotechnology Research Institute, Canada's largest biotechnology R&D facility, which is a member of the National Research Council Canada and employs 800 people;
• The Centre Robert-Cedergren at Université de Montréal is a catalyst for advancing research in the fields of bioinformatics and genomics. and
• The Québec Proteomics Centre, a centre for excellence in mass spectroscopy proteomics, also home to the Canada Research Chair in proteomics.

There is abundant office and laboratory space available in Montréal for biotechnology companies.

• Biotech-Angus
• Biotechnology Development Centres (CDB): Laval, Lévis, Sherbrooke and Saint-Hyacinthe (eligible for special tax credits)
• Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI)
• City of Biotechnology and Human Health of Metropolitan Montréal
• Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal
• McGill University and Genome Québec Innovation Centre— Incubator
• Pavillon J.-A. Bombardier— Université de Montréal, École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Québec Biotechnology Innovation Centre (QBIC)— Incubator
• Québec Metro High Tech Park
• Science Complex at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
• Technoparc Saint-Laurent